1. Field of the Invention
Present invention relates to controlling selection and delivery of broadcast channels to a television through interaction with the television, set top box and channel broadcasting source.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical remote control (or “Remote” as used herein) has multiple predefined buttons. A Remote is used to change TV (“Television”) channels, change audio and video settings of the TV and control power supply to the TV by selecting one or more of the buttons. A Remote interacts with TV in one direction. A remote generally sends control signal to a TV using infrared or RF transmission. The control signal triggers the TV to implement the changes. An unobstructed view between the Remote and the TV is typically needed when infrared transmission is used. The Remote can however interact with the TV through obstructions like furniture and walls when RF transmission is used. The type of transmission used to send the control signal determines the maximum allowable distance between the Remote and the TV. The maximum allowable distance in both the cases is typically only a few meters.
A remote is used for changing or scanning TV channels when channels are being broadcast. It is not possible to view a TV channel that has already been broadcast some time earlier with the help of a typical Remote.
A user uses multiple buttons of a Remote to control settings and display of media on a TV screen. The user gets visual information from the screen of the TV, makes a choice and presses the buttons to realize the choice. Operating a Remote may be inconvenient, because a user needs to look back and forth between the Remote buttons and the TV screen to complete a task.
A TV generally receives channels either directly or indirectly via a set top box from a broadcaster. Many types of media systems are used to provide supplemental or alternate video to the TV. Many of these media systems directly source locally accessed media, and others alternatively or in addition provide television broadcast tuners for managing television channel selection and video and audio settings. Exemplary media systems include cable and satellite set top boxes and DVD (Digital Video Disk) players. Each of these media systems is controlled through direct interaction or via a Remote. To interact with a user via a Remote, media systems deliver information via a TV's screen and speakers and receive information directly from the Remote. Again, as previously mentioned, such interaction usually requires a user to look back and forth between the Remote and the TV screen in attempts to locate buttons and understand the Remote's operation.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art through comparison of such systems with various aspects of the present invention.